I went down my local river the other day and was looking to select suitable rod and reel for the day, as I stared at the rod rack I considered a few things, firstly that I really have more rods than I need , not that I don`t get tempted by more now and again . But I also realised that actually I have only used a four weight once this year and that was a 10ft on a big dales river. The truth is this last few years have seen me using lighter and lighter line weights . A couple of years ago I didn't own a two weight and now I have four of them and find I am using them more and more . On the smaller local streams I fish they can give a lovely delicate presentation of dries in the Summer and in the Autumn they are great for nymphing . Also I cant get on with the specialist euro nymphing lines as the rivers I fish usually are very mixed water. I find my average days fishing combines a fair bit of traditional upstream nymphing and a little bit of short lining Czech style and quite often a bit of dry fly . But using a two weight means if needed I can take of the nymph and cast a dry to my hearts content . They are also a breeze for holding of the water high sticking style.
The last trip I had was on an up and coloured Yorkshire Derwent. The river didn't look to inviting but I felt confident of catching , far to many people give up before they start. Always waiting for perfect conditions which unfortunately rarely occur. I have found time and again that a still coloured but falling river can give superb sport . the first fish I had was on a dry , Not sure what they were rising to in the murky water but rising they were , midges I guessed and a size 22 CDC job did the trick . The fly is very easy to tie simply a small bunch of CDC fibres tied in on a thread body . Quickly accounting for three or four brownies and a sprat sized grayling. The fly is basically a tiny F Fly . . Here a few of the midges I use in size 22 and 24. They are also surprisingly robust and easy to dust of with frogs fanny when they have been used.
I guess the hardest thing on a high and coloured river is fish location . My local small stream alters significantly for every extra few inches of water it carries . Fish holding spots can be a long way away from summer hot spots when the levels increase . If you know the water well and are familiar with it you have a decent chance of sniffing out where the fish may be holding . Today in one stretch the fish were about 20 m downstream of their usual summer holding area. Also they were on the other side of the river. On a strange river and not knowing the river contours I would have struggled .
The Grayling are common this size in the stream, but they do go to a pound and half but a average good one is about a pound,
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The day ended with a couple of big out of season stocky browns which put a hell of a bend in the 9ft 2wt . Half a dozen tiny WBT and a few small grayling came to hand . No sizeable Grayling showed up . But as I walked back to the car I couldnt help but reflect it had actually been a bloody good few hours . As for the rods I suppose the aquisition of a one weight is the next point . Although I am not really sure what there would be to gain from that . Mind you a few years ago I thought a size 18 was a small fly...
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